Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Release Date, Starters, Everything We Know So Far

Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the second Pokémon game to bear the Legends moniker, was announced at the February 2024 Pokémon Presents.

Taking the Legends formula to new heights, Legends: Z-A takes a more modern-day approach to the world compared to its predecessor, Legends: Arceus.

As more details emerge as we close in on the game's released, we've rounded up everything we know so far about this Kalos-set adventure, including the game's release date, the starter Pokémon, Mega Evolutions, and all the new mechanics.

Here's everything we know so far about Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

Note: We're updating this guide following the Pokémon Presents 2025 trailer.

Everything We Know So Far About Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Setting

Pokémon Legends: Z-A will take place in Lumiose City, which is the central "big" city of the Kalos region from Pokémon X & Y.

In Z-A, Lumiose City is part of an urban redevelopment plan, where the goal is to allow people and Pokémon to co-exist. You can see that from some of the trailers, too — Pokémon roam around the park-like areas, and there are grassy stretches and numerous bodies of water.

All of the iconic landmarks are still there, including the Prism Tower, which was home to the Lumiose Gym in X & Y.

In terms of how the setting is utilised, well, those Wild Zones will be where you spend a lot of time. Gated off by what looks like digital gates, these Zones are where you'll find and catch Pokémon. Sometimes you'll spot Fletchlings down a street, other times Flaaffy will be roaming on the rooftops or plazas. it's a fun blend of city environments.

How the gamer will divvy up those environments, we don't know yet. Surely you won't be able to explore the whole city immediately, right...?

Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Gameplay

This is a Pokémon game, so there aren't many surprised in the gameplay department, but this is also a Legends game, meaning there are so many new wrinkles to the Pokémon formula.

Legends: Z-A utilises the same "catch 'em all" method from Arceus — you can throw Pokéballs at the 'mons in the wild, and you don't need to engage them in battle. You might have to weaken them a bit, though, and that's where combat comes in.

While combat is similar to previous Pokémon games, including Arceus, Z-A adds a few new aspects to the usual turn-based battles. Distance and area are crucial when choosing your attacks — Rollout will now attack in a line, and you can actually dodge the effects, for example. There are other attacks that will have an area-of-effect to them.

Getting around Lumiose City will likely use a system similar to Ride Pokémon from Arceus — we saw something briefly in one of the February 2025 trailers, where the player character jumps off of a building. We'll probably get more info in the near future, but surely we can ride Gogoat, right?

Other aspects that are yet to be confirmed are Side Quests, the Pokédex, whether research tasks return, and other new things that Z-A may well introduce.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Story

Right now, we don't know much about Legends: Z-A yet, but here's what we do know!

Essentially, you're visiting Lumiose City as a tourist. While in the City, you stay at Hotel Z, managed by the mysterious AZ. And while staying there, you'll need to undertake tasks to help with the redevelopment of the city.

The urban redevelopment plan is being headed up by Quasartico Inc., a mysterious corporation run by Jett, a woman who wants to deepen the bonds between humans and Pokémon.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Characters

A handful of new, and returning, characters will be appearing in this new take on Lumiose City.

First of all, your "rival" — or, really, your friend who works at Hotel Z. Depending on which trainer you pick, your friend will be that of a different genre — Urbain of you pick the female appearance, and Taunie if you pick the male one.

The owner of Hotel Z is a face familiar to X & Y fans — AZ is back. The 3,000+ year old man still towers at nine-feet-tall, but he is a determined man and seems much more settled than his last appearance. Floette is also accompanying him, of course.

Lastly, we've met the CEO and the administrator of Quasartico Inc. — Jett, a woman who wants people and Pokémon to come together, and Binnie, a secretary who is an extremely fast worker. He's sporting some very interesting head pieces, too.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A - New Pokémon

Currently, no new Pokémon have been revealed for Legends: Z-A. However, we're fairly sure we'll be getting some new 'mons in the upcoming Pokémon game.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus introduced us to new Pokémon forms known as Hisuian forms, so we reckon we'll be getting some new additions akin to that.

We have had a glimpse at what looks to be a new form of Floette — Eternal Flower Floette. This is AZ's companion, so it may not be a catchable form, but it's a new one nonetheless.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Starter Pokémon

We've got our three confirmed starter Pokémon who will accompany you during your time in Lumiose City.

Confirmed in the Pokémon Presents February 2025 trailer, you'll be able to choose from Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. Three very adorable picks, if we say so.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Returning Pokémon

We've seen a bunch of returning Pokémon coming to Legends: Z-A later this year, many of the from the Kalos region, but others from much further away.

So far, we don't have definitive list, but we have seen plenty throughout the three trailers release so far, including Litleo, Sandile, Klefki, Flabébé, Hawlucha, Furfrou, Gogoat, Fletchling, Absol, Sylveon, Aegislash, Espurr, and Magikarp, among many others.

We've got a list of the ones we've managed to spot below, but we're sure we'll see more and more over the coming months.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A - Mega Evolutions

Mega Evolutions are making a return in Legends: Z-A.

The mechanic was first introduced in Generation VI in X & Y and used again in Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. So its return here, in the Kalos region, is expected.

It seems to be activated the same way as it was in previous games, too, using a Key Stone which resonates with a Pokémon and a Mega Stone.

So fair, ten Mega Evolutions have been confirmed to return — Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Gyarados, Mega Ampharos, Mega Gardevoir, Mega Sableye, Mega Altaria, Mega Absol, and Mega Lucario

When does Pokémon Legends: Z-A release?

The Pokémon Company is launching Pokémon Legends: Z-A worldwide in Late 2025 on Nintendo Switch systems. The game will be getting a simultaneous release, which has been the case for Pokémon games for a while now.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A FAQs

What is Pokémon Legends?

Pokémon Legends is a new-ish take on the Pokémon formula that was introduced to the world in 2022 with Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Legends: A-Z is the second game in the Legends series.

These are still RPGs which involve you capturing Pokémon, but they change up the basic formula. Legends: Arceus lets you roam around in open zones, and you could catch Pokémon just by throwing a Poké Ball at a wild 'mon, rather than engage in battle. There was also more story and more traditional RPG side quests.

Legends: Z-A takes place in a single city rather than open-world environments, and focuses on an "Urban Redevelopment Plan" You'll be catching 'mons inside Zones within the city, and likely helping out with Lumiose's redevelopment plan.

Why is it called Pokémon Legends: Z-A?

Want an honest answer? We have no idea! And we probably won't know why until the game is in our hands. But we're going to make a few guesses anyway.

First, Z is the first letter of the name of the "third" legendary Pokémon in Kalos, Zygarde. The colour scheme on the letters, plus the hexagonal scales on the Z, means that Zygarde will likely be a key Pokémon in the story.

Another idea is that long, long ago, a rumoured third X & Y game was supposed to be called Pokémon Z. This could be a call-back to that — a new take on a "third" game. Just many years down the line.

Lastly, remember the character AZ? He was a key figure in Pokémon X & Y who created the ultimate weapon that was at the centre of the story of Gen VI. He created this to revive his beloved partner Pokémon, Floette, but out of grief, he used it as a weapon of destruction.

Well, he's back in Z-A, and he's the owner of the hotel that you'll be staying at. Surely he'll be extremely relevant...

Is Pokémon Legends: Z-A releasing on Switch 2?

This is a tough one to answer. The game has been confirmed for Switch and the "Switch family of systems", which we imagine means Switch 2 as well. But we imagine Z-A is either going to be cross-gen or simply just backwards compatible.

Of course, this is just speculation at the moment. We'll know the closer we get to Z-A's launch.

That's it for your one-stop shop on all things Pokémon Legends: Z-A related. We'll continue to update this guide as we approach the game's release. For now, let us know if you're excited in the comments.